Moonlight Sonata
by angelwithashotgun24
Summary: Skye Rain's mother has been trying to kill her ever since she was little, and no one knows why. After her father's death, Skye is sent to live with her father's good friend, Billy Black and his son Jacob. Skye can't help but feel out of place, while Jacob can't seem to get her out of his head. Will Skye accept him into her life to be her protector? Love conquers all.
1. Chapter 1

"Now now, don't be scared my darling," cooed Jocelyn from the kitchen. Scraping noises echoed, expressing the emptiness of the house. "I only wanted to wish you a happy birthday."

Skye kept her expression neutral. She knew the hospital had said that her mother was better now, and it was safe for her to come home, but Skye didn't believe it the moment she walked through the doorway. She could see it in the woman's eyes. That flash of insanity ready to pounce at the most unexpected moment. She didn't trust her mother for an instant.

Skye wanted to close her eyes and mutter a silent prayer that the frenzied woman in the kitchen wouldn't hear her father rousing from his slumber this early morning. She hoped that her mother was under the impression that only the two of them occupied the somber corpse they called a house. Unfortunately, Skye didn't have time for a silent prayer. She didn't have much time for anything. She would defend herself and her father against this woman, as he had taught her to. She just hoped she had the courage to do it. It seemed like that was all she had left: a sliver of hope.

Jocelyn's light feet tapped against the hard tiled floor, causing Skye to tense up. Relax, she told herself. Being tense would only make her lose the battle. However, when she saw her mother, knife in hand, she knew that winning the battle would be a long shot. Her father had taught her many things, like how to make a fire, how to defend herself with only her hands, and how to protect those she cared for. Weaponry never came up a strong suit, and she feared defending herself against one would be just as hard. But no, she would do it. For the sake of her father, she would win.

"My darling, Skye Rain. You know your momma loves you, don't you?" she drawled. Her hands hung limp at her sides, but her hand clutched a large cutting knife. One that Skye had recently sharpened only yesterday to cook for her father and herself. She now regretted it with every fiber in her being, though it probably wouldn't have made any difference to her mother.

Skye's throat tightened at Jocelyn's empty words, wishing they were true. But her mother didn't love her, and she silently wondered if the crazed woman ever had. She backed up a step, cautiously watching, waiting.

"You know… if I can't have you all to myself, then your father can't have you either. He was a selfish fool for taking you away from me. He was ignorant, too," she laughed. The sound was cold, ricocheting painfully through Skye's ears. "He thought I'd gotten better. But don't you see? I should have died on that night. The day I brought us to see the train. You should have too, but you were far too stubborn." She toyed with the knife, holding it between her two index fingers. The blade drew blood, sinking deeply into her skin, but she didn't notice. She was too immersed in her daughter to feel anything.

"Why should I have died?" Skye asked, then silently cursing herself when her voice shook and quivered beneath Jocelyn's penetrating stare. She cleared her throat. "Didn't you love me?"

Her mother's expression turned from shocked to a mocking pain. "Of course I did, honey," she said. Her voice oozed of everything that made up the perfect mother, and she stepped closer to Skye. "Don't you see? You and I, we're alike, the two of us. I feared the same fear you do: for you to have the same plague put upon you as I. I didn't want that for you. So, I took it upon myself to fix things. I did this for your own good!" She lashed out with the knife, but Skye wasn't ready for it.

She'd completely lost all train of thought when her mother spoke. Eerily, it made sense to her, why her mother tried so hard to kill her all these years. It was a sickness, she told herself. Her mother was sick. Nothing she said held any reality. But even still, Skye dropped to her knees with a cry, clutching the side of her face. Blood immediately began seeping through her fingers. Why hadn't she been ready? Tears stung her eyes, threatening to spill over, but she refused to let them.

Jocelyn towered over her daughter's curled up form, smile filled with malevolence. "I'm so sorry, baby. Mommy was aiming for your throat, not your face. Why don't I try again, huh?" She clutched the knife in both hands and raised it high above her own head, but this time, Skye was ready.

She kicked her legs out, catching her mother off guard. She dropped the knife and collided with the floor, landing on her forearms hard. But Skye didn't stop. She couldn't. If she did, her mother would get back up as though nothing happened. She captured her mother's wrist and yanked it behind her back. The knife had clattered too far for her to reach it, so she reached her leg out, only keeping half of her body weight on her mother. It was a bad move.

Her mother wiggled and twisted, and since Skye wasn't balanced correctly, she fell onto her side, the force causing her to release her mother's wrist. Faster than Skye could blink, her mother was on her feet and pointing the knife above her. She released a breath and smiled all the same, shaking her pale hair away from her face. "Now Skye, you've gone and made me mad. I was only trying to help. But don't worry. This will only hurt for a second."

Before Skye had a chance to announce her dying wishes, a gunshot sounded through the air, capturing the attention of the two women. Above the stair railing, Zane O'Connor stood with his gun in hand, staring down at his ex-wife and daughter. "If you touch one hair on my daughter's head, you will regret it," he told her and aimed the gun at Jocelyn.

While Jocelyn looked up at her long lost lover, Skye grasped at the opportunity her father was giving her and once again kicked her mother's feet out from under her. The knife flew straight down, and Skye tucked in her arms, rolled to the side and picked herself up. The knife was cold in her fingers, as though there hadn't been anyone holding it before, and she knelt atop of her mother, pressing her knee into her chest and the knife to her throat. She didn't want to do it. Skye didn't want to have to kill her mother, however, if she had to, then she would. To protect herself and her father. But mostly to protect her father.

"I've already called the police," he told Skye, tucking his gun away in the waistband of his pants. Skye almost breathed a sigh of relief. Thank goodness. "They will be here soon, so just keep over her until they get here, okay?"

Skye nodded, her black, curly hair cascading into her mother's chest. Jocelyn's eyes were absolutely feral, infuriated to the point of no return. She cursed her husband's name.

"You'll see what's going to happen! When she turns eighteen, you'll have another thing coming. She'll be just like me," she said. Her voice was maliciously pleased at her own words, but Skye ignored her. The woman rambled about Skye's eighteenth birthday like it was no one's business, so both she and her father continued to ignore her. The police arrived soon after, wrenching her mother away kicking and screaming.

Skye sighed out of relief when the police finally closed the door behind them. It muffled Jocelyn's screams, but it didn't do much of anything to ease the pain. Pain. Skye brought her hand to her cheek, remembering where her mother had cut her.

"Yeah, you might want to get that checked out," concluded a police officer who'd lingered to get the family's statements. "It'll get infected if you don't. How old are you, anyway?"

"Fifteen," her father answered for her. "And we'll call my mother. She'll be able to tend to her wound."

Skye was glad her father spoke to the police officer in place for her. She didn't know if she'd be able to do it by herself. She was a rather tough girl, but when her mother tries to kill her, well, it's not a pleasant experience. She was merely grateful no one had been seriously injured, especially her father. He'd always been there for her no matter what, and she couldn't imagine living her life without him.

"Now look," said the officer once he'd gotten all the information the two could give. "We don't know how she managed to bust out, but we know definitely that she was in no condition to be released. If you ask me, I think you two would be better off somewhere she couldn't get to you."

"The institution is on the other side of the island," he protested. "How is it that she managed to get to us so quickly? Someone on the inside must be helping her."

The officer nodded. "We suspected as such. But I stand firm in my words. From what you've told me it's only her she's after. Perhaps sending her away for a while-"

"No," Zane's voice penetrated the air thickly. "I'm sorry, but I believe it's time for you to go now."

The officer said nothing, but sighed. Skye knew he was only trying to help, but her father was on edge. What he needed most right now was to relax. The whole scene had shaken him up, and perhaps later on, he would consider the officer's words. But for now, the man only tipped his hat. "Yes sir. If anything else arises, feel free to give me a call. I'm more than happy to help." He handed Skye's father his business card and left the two alone.

Skye could see the emotions raging beneath his dark brown eyes, flickering away so fast, it was nearly impossible to keep up, but Skye knew what he was feeling. He was sad that the one woman he'd ever fallen in love with was going insane. It pained him to know she was trying to kill Skye, his daughter, the one person he loved more than life itself. He feared for the safety of his young daughter.

Skye knew she had to do something. Anything to ease her father's pain. "I'll make us some lunch, okay?" she told him, and strolled into the kitchen. He followed behind her.

"No, you sit. It's your birthday. I'll make lunch. It's the least I can do after…" He got this faraway look in his eyes, but Skye didn't argue against him. She figured he needed the distraction, so she perched herself on the stool beneath the countertop and engaged in conversation with him. Smiling and laughing was something unfamiliar to her. With everything she'd been through, it was understandable, but right now, her father needed reassurance that she was still alive. She was still breathing.

"So," Zane said, eyeing his daughter expectantly while cutting onions. "Any boyfriends I should know about?"

"Yep," Skye said immediately. "Three of them. I just didn't know how to choose!" She was joking, and of course, her father knew as such.

Her father laughed a joyous laugh that filled the entire room. "I didn't know my little girl was such a… what's the opposite of a lady's man?"

Skye smiled and shook her head, pleased that her father was smiling and laughing again. But then his face turned serious, and he turned to watch her. "Can you promise me something, Skye?" When she nodded, he continued. "Wait until you find the right guy to start dating. And you'll know when he comes along. His words won't always be pretty, and he may not be the most romantic, but he'll come along. And when he does, you'll know." He looked into the eyes of his daughter and sighed. Skye waited patiently for him to continue, knowing there were more than just those few simple words that any father will tell his daughter. "I just don't want you to settle for anything less than you deserve.

"I know you've had a hard time looking for a boyfriend, especially with your mother always just around the corner. But I have a feeling, in the pit of my stomach, that you'll find that someone soon. Very soon."

Skye smiled at her father and fed him reassuring words. Her father was he one person in this world that she respected more than herself, and she would follow his advice to the 't'. Unbeknownst to her, that feeling in the pit of his stomach turned out to be a lot more than just gut instinct.

She remembered that night with the feeling of anguish, wishing she would have realized his situation before now. That night, two years ago, he'd cooked her an amazing birthday dinner as he did every year, watched the movie, The Outsiders, had her grandmother patch up her cheek, and fell asleep with popcorn in their laps. That was the last night her father walked on his own.

Skye didn't know what happened to her father until the poison spread through his lungs and ate through the muscles in his legs. Grandma said he'd never walk again, and she was right. Skye cursed the very ground her mother walked on, knowing that her mother was responsible, yet not yet knowing how at the same time. She'd cradled his hand in hers as he lie motionless in his deathbed, his last few words ringing like church bells in her head.

_"Skye, I need you to do something for me," he'd told her._

_She rushed to his side, holding his cold, clammy hand against hers. "What is it? Are you still cold? Do_

_I need to get Grandma to bring another blanket?"_

_He shook his head, unable to speak as a coughing fit rolled over him. It sounded like he had terminal cancer from being such a dedicated smoker, but he'd never smoked a cigarette or cigar a day in his life. When he spoke, his voice was raspy. "If I don't make it, I need you to go and stay at a friend's house. He'll be more than happy to take you in. His name is Billy Black. Do you remember him? He lives in Washington, on the reservation near Seattle."_

_Skye shook her head. She didn't want to remember him. She didn't try to. Her father would make it. He had to. He was all the sanity she had left. He was her only family. "You won't die, Dad. Trust me, you're a fighter."_

_He smiled lovingly at his daughter, amazed by her stubbornness. "Now, you know better than that, my dear. I raised you to be practical."_

_Skye released a shaky sigh, holding back her tears. She didn't want the last image of her father to be through tears. She wanted a clear picture embedded in her mind to remember him by. Finally, she nodded. "Okay. I promise I'll go straight to him. I love you, Dad."_

_"I love you, too, Skye Rain. Don't forget how to love."_

Those were his last words to her before his hand went limp in hers. She didn't cry. She wouldn't cry. The pain would go away soon, she assured herself. Her father was in a much better place. Somewhere he could watch over her; somewhere her mother couldn't get to him. He was safe now, and that's all that mattered.


	2. Chapter 2

Nothing had occurred to Skye on the airplane. Well, nothing that mattered, that is. Her chest was clogged with distant memories of what just recently became used to be. Everything important to her was gone completely, and she'd run dry of the tears she grew tired of. Nothing made much sense to her nowadays.

That day, she'd only gone through the motions, not really caring how she looked, how she held herself, or what she said – not that she had really said much of anything. Running a hand through her thick, black locks, she decided that she would smile and be nothing short of polite when she met these people. They were who her father had chosen.

She continued cursing her dear mother's name when she heard a faint voice calling to her in the background.

When she first saw Billy Black, she could tell immediately that he was a kind man. Most people she had met that were stuck in wheelchairs were either incredibly sad or irrationally bitter. He was most certainly a nice change. Even still, this doesn't mean she didn't miss her home.

"Hello, Skye. I've heard a lot about you. It's nice to finally meet you," his even kinder, welcoming voice said as he held out his hand.

She took it and shook firmly. Her father had always said to make first impressions count. "It's nice to meet you too, sir." Subtly, she glanced at the short haired boy to his right, who shifted restlessly on his feet, hands stuck in his pockets. He was making it a point not to look directly at her. It was strange. Did she really look so hideous? Did she smell bad?

"This is my son, Jacob. I asked him to take me along to pick you up. He's been very anxious to meet you," he chuckled to himself.

"Dad," the boy basically growled. His cheeks flushed in what Skye figured to be embarrassment.

"Oh, hush son," Billy waved. "I'm just teasing."

Skye gave a tentative smile. Already, she liked these people, and found herself grateful. She could have been sent to live with people who were much, much worse. With a slight nod of her head, she acknowledged Jacob. "It's nice to meet you, Jacob. I hope we get along."

"Yeah," he muttered. Finally, he cast his eyes towards Skye, looking her up and down. She must have looked bad, she mused to herself. Well, there wasn't much she could do about it now.

"Are those all your things?" Billy asked, gesturing to the one large carryon bag she had draped over her shoulder.

She nodded. "There wasn't much else that I could bring. Mostly everything went to evidence."

Billy nodded, understanding.

Skye was grateful he didn't question her.

Jacob, on the other hand, watched her quietly, clearly being left out of the loop. All he'd been told was that a strange girl was going to be living with them for a while. He didn't even have an estimate for how long 'a while' was. He still thought it was troublesome. With his secret, with the wolf pack's secret – how was he supposed to keep something of that magnitude from a woman that would be living with him? It wouldn't be easy, that was for sure.

"Alright, well, if there isn't anything else, let's get a move on!" Billy exclaimed. "Emily will be waiting at the house with fresh dinner. She's very excited to meet you."

Skye blanched at the word 'dinner' but gave him a smile and followed anyway. Eating hadn't been in her list of things to do lately. Any time she thought about it, her chest began to ache and her stomach felt full already. She'd committed herself to straight water with vitamin supplements as her meals. It wasn't good and made her feel weak, but it was better than nothing.

"So," Jacob started, keeping his eyes on the road. "What did you do that was so bad, they sent you to live with us across the big ole pond?"

As Billy scolded his son, Skye couldn't help but admire his boldness. Surely, no one else would have had the nerve to ask such a thing. Just as boldly, she cut off Billy's scolding with an answer. "My mother tried to kill me."

His eyebrows shot up, obviously not expecting such an answer. In fact, he hadn't expected an answer at all. He'd expected her to get pissed and just not talk to him again. That, he wouldn't have minded. "Well, no offense or anything, but that kind of sucks."

She couldn't help but smile at his futile attempt to comfort her. He knew his way around awkward situations and she liked that. "Yeah, it does." Changing the subject, she added, "It's very beautiful here. I love the trees. It reminds me of home."

"This could be your home," Billy said after a slight pause. "If you wanted it to be, that is."

"I'll have to think about it," she told him truthfully. "Ireland is my home, but with my father gone, it doesn't really feel like much anymore. I will genuinely consider your offer."

He smiled at that, and it made her happy. From the ton of weight that sat upon her shoulders, a few pounds seemed to have lifted. Perhaps this journey wouldn't be so bad after all.

"We're here," Jacob said suddenly, slowing the car to a stop. Had it really already been an hour ride?

Walking around the car, Jacob helped his father out of the front seat and sat him in his wheelchair. When he turned back around to help Skye, he realized he was too late. She hadn't wanted to trouble him, so she got out and grabbed her duffle bag herself. It was really no big deal to her.

"Well, I was going to help you out, but I guess you've got it already," he chuckled lightly and held out his hand. "Here, at least let me take your bag."

Not wanting his chivalry to end, she gracefully slid the bag from her shoulders and slid it into his outstretched palm. Her fingertips brushed his, and Jacob went rigid. Of course, she'd felt the spark as well, but she'd chosen to ignore it for the time being. She'd think about it later. Jacob, however, didn't seem to think the same way she did. Without a word, he took the bag from her and marched inside.

What had she done? Had she done something wrong? Has she offended him? But no, that couldn't be. Her face must have had the word 'CONFUSION' tattooed on it, because Billy laughed. "Don't mind him. He's rather moody sometimes." He stared after his son for a moment, and when the door shut behind Jacob, Billy turned to look at her. "It might get kind of rowdy in there. We tried to tell them to wait, but they were all very anxious to meet you."

She smiled timidly. "I don't mind. I can't wait to meet them either, but this is all very new to me. What if they don't like me?" Her face flushed. She hadn't intended on saying that. It just sort of slipped out.

"Don't worry," he gave her a comforting smile. "They'll love you."

Taking a deep breath, she followed Billy inside.


	3. Chapter 3

**Just a note: This chapter has little dialogue and more thinking on Skye's part. She's going through a rough patch, so I expect all of you to be supportive towards her, even through her emotional flaws. Moments between her and Jacob are subtle but efficient. Enjoy! Feedback, though not necessary, is quite welcome. Also, thank you Nali for _Moonlight Sonata_'s**** review!**

**I own Skye Rain, Jocelyn, Skye's grandmother, and her deceased father. I also own Skye's tattoo. I do not own _Twilight _in any way, shape, or form.**

* * *

When she walked through the front door, she decided that she might not have been completely ready for this. What she expected to be two or three extras grew to be seven or eight others. Chaos was utterly ensued and she hadn't the slightest idea of how to deal with it. Her stomach jolted to her throat and she was suddenly worried she might puke. Yeah, that would make a lovely first impression.

Putting on her big girl panties, she took a deep breath to calm her nerves and pushed out a smile. It felt forced, it _was_ forced, but she didn't want them to know that. "Hello," she said quietly.

Everyone turned to her in that one moment and silence sprung out. Then the door behind her slammed shut, causing her to jump. They all smiled at this. Well, some smiled and some smirked, but it was all the same to her. Her face flushed in embarrassment.

The woman near the stove had long black hair much like her own, but straighter, and she sent Skye a heartwarming smile. She was stunningly beautiful, even with such deep scars running across her face. "Hello," the woman told her. "I'm Emily. It's very nice to meet you. Please, don't mind the boys. They're really rather rude." With that last statement, she glared at the table full of big, masculine boys.

"It's nice to meet you too, Emily. It's nice to meet you all." Skye acknowledged the boys with a nod of her head, as she had earlier with Billy and Jacob. It was easier than shaking everyone's hand, or deciding whether to actually shake hands or hug. It would make her uncomfortable having to touch all of them in any way, so the head nod was the best she could come up with.

"She's hot," said one of the boys.

Skye ignored it and turned her attention to Emily. "Do you need any help?"

"Oh, no. Not at all," the older woman told her. "In fact, why don't you go upstairs and unpack your things? I'll send one of the boys up to get you when dinner's ready."

Skye nodded, grateful for opportunity to get out of there. She rubbed her arm self-conciously, making her way over to the staircase while all sets of eyes were on her. Of course, she didn't know where her room was, but her heart pounded too harshly for her to trust her voice. The boys were all very large and intimidating, and they made her feel weak.

Of course, she'd taken self-defense classes, but that's all that it was. Self-defense. They didn't teach her how to fight off around ten massive looking body-builder guys. Nope. That definitely wasn't on the test.

She sighed and scolded herself, making her way to the top of the stairs. She was probably just over reacting. They wouldn't do anything to her. Billy wouldn't allow it, she knew that much.

Still, it didn't ease her fears any.

Caught up in her own thoughts, she ran into something quite large and hard. She ran her hand through her hair. They were going to think she was insane, running into a wall like that. Only, when she looked up, it wasn't a wall at all. In fact, it was Jacob, his deep brown eyes staring down into hers.

"I- I'm sorry," she muttered and stepped away from him.

Since her father's death, Skye hadn't been all that great at controlling her emotions. It's like her tightly woven rope was coming apart strand by strand until it all looked like a frazzled mess of strings with no ending. This place was so different and so far away and everything seemed so much more real than when she was in the truck.

"Hey, are you okay?" he asked her and placed a light, comforting touch on her arm.

She rubbed her hands over her face, as she sometimes did to calm herself, and they came up wet. When had she started crying? She quickly wiped her tears and forced out a smile. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. Sorry. I didn't mean to bump into you. Lost in thought and all that, you know."

He looked at her for a second, his gaze boring into her, like he was trying to just see through her. Like he already did. Her heartbeat quickened, feeling the burn of his fingers on her arm. This was crazy. He shouldn't be affecting her this way. She barely knew him. And maybe she didn't want to know him.

Yeah, okay. That was a lie.

He opened his mouth as if to say something but stopped when they heard Emily calling. "Dinner's ready! Quil, why don't you go get Skye?"

"Why does he get to go?" one of the guys asked.

"Because you'll scare her away. Or flirt with her. Or both – who knows? Quil, just go, please."

Silence ensued, followed by the scraping of chairs.

Jacob looked down at me one more time. "You don't have to be okay, you know," he whispered to her. "None of us expect you to be."

Skye wished he hadn't said that.

Now her heart, too thick and overwhelmed in her chest to beat, felt like another weight had been lifted. This time, she felt the tears before they could come, so she turned away when, who she assumed to be, Quil found them at the top of the stair way.

"Dinner's ready," he said slowly.

Skye noticed the question in his voice, but she refused to turn her head towards him. Her silent but thick tears rolled like tidal waves down her cheeks, and there was no stopping it.

"Alright man," Jacob said.

Skye saw Jacob move to her left and suddenly, he wasn't there anymore.

She'd felt many things at one time in that moment. She was appalled, definitely, that Jacob would leave her alone to cry by herself, then she'd realized how needy she sounded. In fact, this was what she'd wanted – to be left alone to sob it out without the fear of embarrassment.

Jacob had known that, hadn't he? That was what he'd done for her. And he'd taken Quil away so he wouldn't see her crying either.

This was her one moment of weakness, and she let herself have it. She hadn't cried in what felt like days, and she was _tired _of holding it in. _Tired_ of faking smiles, _tired _of pretending to be fine. She just wanted to curl up in a ball and drift away into her own little world where it was okay to cry, and it was okay to want to feel needed.

She leaned her head against the solid, cool wall and let the tears flow. Unfortunately, they were expecting her for dinner, so her crying session had to end sooner rather than later. She checked the hallway for the bathroom where she could pat her eyes with a cold, wet towel. She didn't want them to know she'd been crying.

And suddenly, she felt better. She looked in the mirror at herself, her long sleeved white shirt hung off her shoulder. If she would move her hair, she could see the Celtic tattoo she'd had her grandmother do for her just before she left. '_A Hathair_' it said in curved writing with the Celtic cross behind it. It had been her father's trademark.

Brushing her hair out of the way, she ran her fingers across the tattoo, a smile instantly spreading across her face. Her father always found a way to make her smile.

"That's a pretty cool tattoo."

She whipped around, coming face to face with none other than Jacob, again. "You startled me."

He just smiled and looked down at her exposed tattoo. She resisted the urge to pull her hair back over it to cover the mark. "'_A Hathair.' _ What does that mean?" he asked her. His voice was gentle, even as intimidating as he was with his arms folded across his muscular chest, leaning against the door frame.

When she realized she was staring, she turned back to her reflection, looking back at the tattoo. Another smile unwound on her face. "It means 'My Father' for a woman." She stared into the cross, the swirls and tangles hypnotizing her. Her grandmother truly had a talent. "He was a good man," she whispered to him, finally.

Her eyes flickered towards him, and her breath hitched in her throat at the way he watched her. Like she was something truly _amazing _to him. Like there was nothing else in this world but _her._

But she shook it off. The way he looked at her, she undoubtedly loved it, but it just wasn't something she wanted to handle at the moment. Things would happen one day at a time, and the revelation made her chest lighter – it seemed to be doing a lot of that today. Just knowing that she didn't have to be okay today or tomorrow or the next day gave her an empowering feeling. Things would eventually be okay, in their own place at their own time. And that would be okay.

She smiled a most genuine smile at Jacob. "So, dinner?"

He nodded and gave her a small smile in return. He nodded his head to the hallway, signaling for her to follow him, and she didn't have any problem with that. "You should do that more often," he said to her quietly, without looking back. He must have felt the question mark springing from her mind. "Smile, I mean. It's beautiful."

Instead of blushing from embarrassment, she felt shocked that he would so openly admit something like that. After the shock wore off, she smiled another one – this one bigger. She had to practically jog to keep up with Jacob's long strides.

There was no mistaking it. She belonged here. This would end up being her home, she knew. Without any nervousness, she followed Jacob like a lost puppy, staying next to him all through dinner, and even afterwards when they'd all gathered in the living room to hang out. Eventually, she began loosening up, but of course, it had nothing to do with the fact that she let Jacob put a little something of much _stronger _value in her tea. Oh, no. After all, the Irish were notorious for their alcohol tolerance.

She couldn't help but smile at them all. She'd learned their names quickly, and found that she quite liked the noise. She'd never have to be alone again. They could be her _family. _

Jacob sipped on his own drink and watched her curl into the corner of the couch, tucking her legs beneath her. In one mind, he was impatient, and wanted nothing more than to lay her out and have his way with her. That was the male part of his mind.

The other part told him that she was so worth every second, every minute, every day spent on her. He would wait on her forever if it came to that. She was something special, something so irrevocably special that he didn't want any part about her to change.

It was something stupid, this imprinting thing, but it was her. It would always be just her. Anything else he'd ever felt couldn't even begin to compare. He knew nothing about her, and yet knew everything all at once.

She was perfect.

He didn't deserve her.

And yet, he'd never be able to bring himself to do anything about it.


	4. Chapter 4

Strange things had been happening around the Black household, but Skye took no note of them. After all, what was stranger than her own deranged mother trying to off her? Not much, she would say. Presently, she curled up on the couch near Jacob. Everything about him calmed her, and however unnerving it may be, she didn't let it bother her. Of all the things she was feeling, safe and warm were the two she wanted to feel most of all. And Jacob was both of those things to her – _especially _warm. His body radiated heat like it was no one's business. She loved it.

Her hair fell in pin straight strands – or it better have been that straight, seeing as how she worked with the flat iron all freaking morning – over a large grey hoodie that Jacob had loaned her. Sure, she had her own clothes, but he had offered and she saw no reason to refuse his kindness.

_Kindness_, Skye snorted into her cup of coffee before taking a sip. Yeah, that's what she wanted to call it. Kindness.

The truth was simply that she liked him. There was nothing more to it, nothing less. It was all very simple, and it was what it was.

The television was on, but neither of them were really watching it. They were both frolicking in their own little worlds.

To her left, Jacob's body grew tense and he pushed himself off the couch and away from Skye. He did this often, she noticed, and it had become a habit. He muttered an excuse and holed up in his room, where he would stay until the uninvited guest disappeared.

True to her assumptions, a tentative knock rapped on the door. With a sigh, Skye placed her coffee mug on the table and opened the door a fair crack. "He's not here. As usual," she told Bella.

"Please," she mumbled. "I have to see him."

Skye sighed, running a hand through her hair. "I'm sorry, Isabella. I really am, but he's just not here."

"Bella," she corrected and fidgeted nervously. "I'm sorry. I just have to. . ." she trailed off and brashly pushed against the door.

Through Skye's surprise, it had thrown her off balance, and her wrist knocked forcefully against the wooden floors, effectively pissing her off. Before _Bella_ could get very far, Skye launched herself at her and pinned her arms behind her. This was Skye's _home._ This girl had no place barging in her home like the owned the place.

With much struggle on Bella's part, and not so much on Skye's, Bella was thrust out of the door. Skye stared at Bella's shocked face stoically. "This is my home, Bella. Disrespect is not tolerated in my home. If I say Jacob's not here, then according to you, he is _not here._ Am I understood?"

Bella just stood staring at Skye with shock plastered on her face. Skye closed the door and locked it. She really didn't like having to be so cruel towards the girl, but Bella really gave her no other choice.

"She's gone," Skye called out towards Jacob's room as she made her way to the kitchen. She needed to ice her wrist, or it would swell.

Strangely, she felt Jacob before she heard him – she felt his eyes on her as she reached into the freezer and pulled out a handful of ice. Dropping it in the ziplock bag, she turned to Jacob, who had conveniently decided to grab a wash cloth to wrap the bag of ice.

"I'm sorry," he said.

Skye shook her head. "Don't be. It's not like you did this," she gestured to her wrist, which had begun to swell. The ice felt good against the tender area.

Jacob sighed and grabbed Skye by her waist, hoisting her onto the counter. He didn't say anything for a long time, just standing with his head on Skye's shoulder.

Skye knew he felt bad about shutting Bella out of his life, especially after she'd heard about Bella's breakup with her fantasy boyfriend. She didn't really blame him for not wanting to be a rebound. Even still. . . "Jacob," Skye said.

He grunted as a response, making Skye roll her eyes. He didn't feel like moving, obviously.

"I think you should just tell her what's going on," she spoke quietly and slowly. "If she's really your best friend, she'll understand."

With a big sigh, he pulled away from her shoulder and stared into her eyes. "_You_ don't even understand."

Skye shrugged. "I would if you would tell me."

His deep brown eyes penetrated her barriers, looking for any sign of what may or may not be the truth. He wanted to tell her so badly, but he couldn't bring himself to push the words out of his mouth. They were stuck in his throat and they tasted bad. He sighed agitatedly and put his head down again. "I'm not ready, but I hate all of this secrecy."

"There, there," Skye told him, running her fingers through his short hair in an attempt to soothe him. It was working. "People are entitled to their own secrets, Jacob. But just remember, no one ever has a secret that actually follows them to the grave. There's already at least one person on this earth that knows your secret. There's at least one person in this world that knows my secret. We just have to find people that'll understand them."

Skye wanted to kick herself. What she said hadn't made any sense. Or had it? She didn't know.

After a while, Jacob chuckled and slid his arms around her neck. "You are an amazing woman, Skye Rain. I don't know what I'd do without you." Pulling back a bit, he grinned down at her.

Forgetting her hurt wrist, Skye slipped her arms around his back and linked her fingers together loosely. Skye couldn't help but smile back. His smile was an addiction to her – she couldn't get enough of it. And just knowing his smile was only for her made her all the happier. Without much thought to it, she tilted her head only slightly, but it gave her access to kiss him fully. He kissed her back eagerly, not much thought on his part, either.

Skye may not have known what was going on inside Jacob's head, or his body for that matter, but she knew that she cared immensely for Jacob, and that wasn't going to change. Not any time soon, in the near or far future.

His fingers trailed fire across her skin and he took no time ripping his hoodie away from her body, which left her in a tank and her shorts. He deepened the kiss and pushed his hands underneath her shirt.

To others, Skye knew that she would look like a complete harlot. She hadn't known Jacob for more than a few weeks, and yet she was already comfortably getting busy with him. She couldn't help it. His eyes, his smile, his touch, his voice – it all clouded her brain, making it impossible for her to reach her better judgment. Every part of him was intoxicating to her, impossible to turn away.

When he picked her up, she locked her ankles behind his back and let him lead her to his bedroom.

On Jacob's end, he was ecstatic. His imprint didn't reject him, as most had done at first, but then again, she didn't know anything. She never questioned him about the magnetic pull between the both of them – in fact, she never questioned him at all about anything. Sure, his ego may have inflated a tad, but it was always overrun with more respect for the woman. He loved her, he knew, with all his being, but he liked to think they were taking things slow – relationship wise.

Not that the sex was meaningless – it never was. But to her, sex brought to life more the pleasures of her body than her heart, and he knew that. He wished it was a little different, but he knew that soon, she'd know everything, and soon, he could make love to her instead of just passionate sex.

Shed of all clothing, he plunged into her, making her cry out over and over again just for him. She'd never cry out for anyone but him – he could make sure of that.

She clung to him as though she were holding on for her life, feeling the friction building between them. Her heart swelled, but she yearned for it to stop. The feeling was unknown, unlike anything she'd ever experienced before, and yet she was torn. She'd wanted more of it and none of it at the same time.

Instead of pounding senselessly into her, Jacob began to slow his movements, and began kissing her face. He wanted her to know that he wasn't just in this for the sex. He wanted her to feel what he felt. He wanted her to feel his love to an extent she could hardly bear. He wanted her heart to year for him as his yearned for her.

He made love to her, kissing her slowly, as if every second counted.

She hated that she loved it. She knew what he was doing to her and she didn't want to stop him. She wanted him to do this to her so much it hurt. This is what she'd been waiting for, wasn't it? It was what her father had warned her about. He knew that she'd fall in love, didn't he?

With one last thrust, Jacob buried himself inside of her, shuddering and moaning into her neck. She shivered from the sheer pleasure of it.

He didn't want to, but he pulled away from her so she could gather up her clothes. To his surprise, she curled into his side, his broad, muscular chest acting as a pillow.

Usually, she'd gather up her clothes and head for the shower. It was something he'd grown accustomed to. To see her, feel her opening up to him made his heart burst. He never wanted this moment to end.

Unfortunately, and like clockwork, his cell rang. Skye groaned, not wanting him to move.

But it was important, they both knew, for him to take that call.

He reached over her and fished his cell from the pair of discarded jeans on the ground. "Hello?" he asked with a grin as he settled his body weight over Skye's stomach. He had no intentions of moving.

Skye giggled.

"Yeah, kinda. I guess. I'll be there in twenty."

When Jacob snapped the phone shut, he rolled himself on top of Skye once again and leaned down to kiss her.

"I'm sorry," he started, but she cut him off.

"I know. It's okay. You go ahead. Besides, I could really use a nap."

He smiled and kissed her once more before rolling out of bed and putting on his clothes.

Skye let herself watch him get dressed, appreciating the view. She was allowed, wasn't she? She accepted his lips once again when he was fully dressed, and then the door swung open.

Skye glared at the door when a mop of brunette hair waved its way in. Skye held the sheets to her body and all but growled at Isabella. "What are you doing here? Didn't I specifically say that Jacob wasn't here? How did you get in, anyway?"

"I opened the door, Skye," Billy said from behind Isabella. If Skye hadn't been ferociously mad at the intruder, she'd have been embarrassed. As it was, her embarrassment flowed from Isabella's lack of respect. "I didn't think she'd just push her way in. I tried to tell her."

"She pushed her way in on me as well," Skye held up her wrist. "Hurt my wrist, too."

"Bella, you need to leave," Jacob told her. Skye could tell he was getting irritated with her. "You can't be here."

"Oh, and she can? I'd say she's doing more than just being here," Isabella sneered at the girl beneath the bed sheets.

Skye felt her own irritation bubbling up. "What does it matter to you?" Skye asked her coldly, pulling herself out of bed, still holding the blanket to cover herself. "You're the one who broke Jacob's heart, Isabella. Now, leading him on the way you do is just outright cruel. You've disrespected me, and you've disrespected this family. You are lucky that Jacob has a soft spot for you, otherwise, I'd have requested your exile long ago."

Both Jacob and Billy glanced at me, all-knowing seeping from their eyes.

"Skye Rain," Billy murmured.

"It's the last thing I wish to do," Skye told him quickly. "I don't want to have to resort to such measures. But I can't just sit by and let Isabella disrespect me or any of you. I have a low tolerance for disrespectful people, as you know. This will be my last warning."

"Exile?" Isabella asked. "What do you mean by exile?"

"It means," Jacob said, turning back towards her, "that you'll never be allowed in La Push again."

Isabella turned her hateful eyes to Skye Rain and then Billy. "That can't be possible. She hasn't even decided to live here. She can't have that kind of power."

"If we accept her into our family, then she has just as much power as we," said Billy. He nodded his head at Skye Rain. He knew Bella must have upset her quite a bit to get her to react this harshly. He blatantly ignored her nakedness for the sake of her being his son's imprint. It was bound to happen while living under the same roof. "Bella, I think it would be best if you left."

Skye knew Isabella was furious beyond belief, and she had really not wanted to pull the exile card, but she found the girl had left her with no other choice.

"Fine," she spat and turned on her heel.

Once Isabella slammed the front door shut behind her, Skye fell to the bed, covering her face with her hands.

"You did the right thing," Billy told her with soft eyes. "Now, you should probably get dressed. The game starts in a few minutes, and I could really use the company," Billy told her with a twinkle in his eye and rolled off.

Jacob wrapped his arms around her and kissed her. "I love you. I really do."

Skye nodded. "I love you too, now go. You're going to be late." As she watched him disappear, she realized that there was nothing else she would have rather said than those few words.


End file.
